‘No problems’ getting paid by Qatar Racing
As any punter knows, getting paid is half the battle and that message has apparently been borne in on trainers who have horses owned by Al Shaqab, the racing empire of Sheikh Joaan, a brother of the Emir of Qatar. According to a Times story this morning, Al Shaqab has been slow to pay invoices to several people in British racing over the past six months and now has debts running into seven figures.
Al Shaqab’s general manager, Khalifa al-Attiyah, has apologised for the delay, which he says has been caused by organisational problems. In a statement sent to The Guardian, he says: “We have been going through a longer financial review due to many activities and engagements in regards to our operation in Qatar, which is taking us quite a bit of time to finalize.” Al-Attiyah insists that “all will be settled fully in the coming weeks”, that there will be no such delays in the future and that Al Shaqab remains committed to racing in Britain and elsewhere.
Al-Attiyah denies that the delay has been at all caused by the diplomatic crisis now affecting Qatar, several countries in the region having severed relations with it and imposed travel and trade bans.
It appears that no such delays have affected those dealing with Qatar Racing, the other major group in British racing to be owned by members of Qatar’s ruling al-Thani family. Qatar Racing, whose claret colours have been carried by many horses including the Leger winner Simple Verse, is a subsidiary of QIPCO, a private commercial company run by Sheikh Fahad and two of his brothers.
Ralph Beckett, trainer of Simple Verse and many others for Qatar Racing, says he has always been paid promptly by the organisation. I’m told there has also been no problem collecting funds from QIPCO for its many sponsorship ventures in British racing, which include backing the British Champions Series of races. Officials would not offer on-the-record quotes about their dealings with a client but QIPCO were described to me by one source as “exemplary payers”.
Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Ludlow offers a couple of tempting runners today, starting with Braventara (2.50), a sister to Caventara, winner of the maiden hurdle at Ayr yesterday. This seven-year-old was tried in Listed company by Nick Williams last season but ended her time with him with a couple of falls.
She’s now with the in-form Tom George and handily weighted for this first venture into handicaps. This could be the right time to catch her, in a mares’ race that lacks evident depth.
Jeremy Scott is another trainer going well and his Jack Snipe (3.20) looked back to form until unseating three-out at Plumpton last month, when first-time blinkers appeared to be making a difference. He gets to run off the same mark this time, when hopefully the headgear will have a similar effect. He’s 7-2.
Pick of the card at Southwell could be Princess Way (3.40), who won over this course and distance just 12 days ago on her Fibresand debut. After a 5lb rise, she is still only 1lb above her last winning mark and is worth chancing again at 7-1.
Southwell: 12.40 Shine Baby Shine, 1.10 Speciality, 1.40 Kommander Kirkup, 2.10 Jack The Truth, 2.40 The Great Wall, 3.10 Vivat Rex, 3.40 Princess Way.
Musselburgh: 1.00 Heartasia (nap), 1.30 Boy's On Tour, 2.00 Nendrum, 2.30 Randy Pike, 3.00 Mixboy, 3.30 Thepensionfund.
Ludlow: 1.20 Look My Way, 1.50 Indian Hawk, 2.20 Little Chunk, 2.50 Braventara, 3.20 Jack Snipe (nb), 3.50 Simonia.
Wolverhampton: 4.10 Oor Jock, 4.40 Three Majors, 5.10 Tavener, 5.40 Acrux, 6.10 That's So Cool, 6.40 KIng Kevin, 7.10 Romantic.
